Teen arrested in teacher’s death to be tried as an adult

By Dave Clark

Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 | 12:40 p.m.

Prosecutors plan to try a 17-year-old as an adult in the slaying of Basic High School choir teacher Matthew Thomas Cox, according to a criminal complaint filed today.

Juan Aguirre is charged with murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, grand larceny-auto, burglary and kidnapping for his alleged role in the death of Cox, who was found in his home Dec. 22. Aguirre and his brother Jose A. Delatorre, 18, who faces the same charges, are scheduled to appear before Henderson Justice of the Peace Rodney Burr at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Police say Aguirre told them that he and Delatorre were picked up by Cox and taken back to Cox's house, where they played video games. Cox went upstairs to pack for a trip home to Michigan, and Aguirre joined for a short while, then went back to the video games, the statement says.

After a while, Cox drove the two back to their home in downtown Las Vegas. After he stopped in front of the home, the teen’s statement says, Delatorre struck Cox in the head and the two choked him. They used a tie in a gift box to tie his feet and hands, the teen reportedly told police.

They then drove the car back to Cox’s home, where they took a laptop computer, a Wii console and games, DVDs, and an iPod. They left Cox on the sofa, with a blanket over him, according to the statement.

The teen told police the brothers only meant to rob Cox.

Cox began teaching at Basic in fall 2006.

Dave Clark can be reached at 990-2677 or [email protected].